Ehlers Hat Trick Leads Hurricanes Past Canucks

Carolina narrowly escapes with 6-4 victory over struggling Vancouver squad.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 11:14am

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting the dynamic action of a hockey game, with sharp planes of color representing the players and the intensity of the competition.A cubist interpretation of the high-octane matchup between the surging Hurricanes and the struggling Canucks.Vancouver Today

In a back-and-forth NHL matchup, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-4 thanks to a hat trick from forward Nikolaj Ehlers. The Hurricanes built a 5-2 lead but nearly squandered it before Ehlers sealed the win with an empty-net goal late in the third period.

Why it matters

The Hurricanes have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL lately, while the Canucks have struggled mightily, losing six straight games. This game highlighted the fine line between victory and defeat in professional sports, as the Hurricanes nearly let a comfortable lead slip away.

The details

The Hurricanes opened the scoring on a power-play goal from Andrei Svechnikov, but the Canucks responded with a power-play tally from Marco Rossi. Carolina then took control in the second period, with goals from Sean Walker and Ehlers to make it 3-2. Sebastian Aho and Ehlers added to the lead, making it 5-2 before Brock Boeser scored on a 5-on-3 power play to keep the Canucks in the game. Canucks coach Adam Foote pulled goalie Kevin Lankinen after the fourth goal, but the move backfired as Ehlers scored on the first shot against replacement Nikita Tolopilo.

  • The Hurricanes have been on an 11-1-2 run in their last 14 games, including a 5-1 stretch.
  • The Canucks have lost six straight games and have only two wins in their last 23 games.

The players

Nikolaj Ehlers

A forward for the Carolina Hurricanes who scored a hat trick in the game, his second of the season and seventh of his career.

Marco Rossi

A forward for the Vancouver Canucks who scored a power-play goal in the game.

Brock Boeser

A forward for the Vancouver Canucks who scored a power-play goal to keep the Canucks in the game.

Brandon Bussi

The goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes who let in four goals but praised his team's effort and ability to create offense.

Adam Foote

The head coach of the Vancouver Canucks who defended his decision to pull the goalie after the fourth goal, saying it was to change the energy, though the move backfired.

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What they’re saying

“We must tighten up our game, but I'm proud of the effort and our ability to create offense.”

— Brandon Bussi, Goaltender, Carolina Hurricanes

“I could have done better, but I'm glad we got the win.”

— Nikolaj Ehlers

“Pulling the goalie was to change the energy, but it didn't pay off immediately.”

— Adam Foote, Head Coach, Vancouver Canucks

What’s next

The Hurricanes will look to continue their hot streak as they face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, while the Canucks will try to snap their losing skid when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

The takeaway

This game showcased the fine line between victory and defeat in professional sports, as the Hurricanes nearly let a comfortable lead slip away before Ehlers' heroics sealed the win. The Canucks' continued struggles highlight the challenges of turning a team around in the NHL, while the Hurricanes' impressive run demonstrates the value of maintaining focus and discipline.